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Vervet Monkey

Mammals

The vervet monkey, or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa; the name vervet is also used for all members of the genus Chlorocebus. Its five distinct subspecies are found mostly throughout Southern Africa as well as some eastern countries, and these mostly herbivorous monkeys have black faces and grey body hair, with body length ranging from about 40 centimeters in females to about 50 centimeters in males.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Herbivore 2
System (Realm)
Terrestrial 3
Relationship to People
Invasive or Introduced Species 2
Living or Extinct
Yes 4
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Face, ears, hands, feet and the tip of the tail are black, with a white band across the forehead blending into short whiskers. 1
Comparison
CITES Appendix
Appendix II 5
Scientific Name
Chlorocebus pygerythrus 6
Conservation Status
Least Concern 2
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Cercopithecidae, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

In Biome

Savanna, Biomes
Source Wikipedia: Vervet monkey

In Ecosystem

Source Wikidata: Hippopotamus
Additional Source Okavango Delta (Wikipedia)Article text
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. African Wildlife Foundation: Vervet Monkey
Physical Description
Quote, Physical Description
The face, ears, hands, feet, and the tip of the tail are black, but a conspicuous white band on the forehead blends in with the short whiskers.
View the Source
2. Wikipedia: Vervet monkey
  • diet-classification (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
    These mostly herbivorous monkeys have black faces and grey body hair color, ranging in body length from about 40 cm (16 in) for females, to about 50 cm (20 in) for males.
  • Introduced
    Vervet monkeys that are naturalised (introduced by humans) are found in Cape Verde, Ascension Island, Saint Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, and Barbados.
  • Infobox: status
    LC
  • In Biome: Savanna, habitat statement
    The vervet monkey inhabits savanna, riverine woodland, coastal forest, and mountains up to 4000 m (13,100 ft).
View the Source
3. Vervet monkey (Wikipedia)
an Old World monkey...native to AfricaView the Source
4. GBIF Species API
GBIF Species APIView the Source
5. UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat): Species+: Chlorocebus pygerythrus
UNEP-WCMC Species+ database (CITES Secretariat)Species+ taxon_concepts, id 10131
Quote, Species+ taxon_concepts, id 10131
"rank":"SPECIES","name_status":"A","updated_at":"2026-09-24T08:11:44.158Z","active":true,"cites_listing":"II"
View the Source
6. Animal Diversity Web: Chlorocebus pygerythrus (Classification)
Classification
Quote, Classification
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
View the Source
Wikidata: Vervet Monkey
Wikidata Q8985570, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Vervet Monkey (Wikidata)
WikidataStatements section, conservation status (P141)
Quote, Statements section, conservation status (P141)
IUCN Red List conservation status (Wikidata property P141): least concern.
View the Source
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: CercopithecidaeView the Source
Okavango Delta (Wikipedia)
In Ecosystem: Okavango Delta, Article text
Quote, In Ecosystem: Okavango Delta, Article text
wild dog, spotted hyena, black-backed jackal, caracal, serval, aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox, African savanna hare, honey badger, common warthog, chacma baboon, vervet monkey and Nile
View the Source
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